Torch and Beauty
by Alexander von Caesar
Summary: Leo loves Piper. Piper loves Leo. Sometimes, things just need a little push! Set during the sail to Rome, in the Atlantic. M for swearing, and implied nudity


**(Hello again! This fic is a bit cheerier than my last one, and it's Peo again! Alex is an OC of my creation that has a far larger place in this little 'Universe' I've created, but just plays Matchmaker/Therapist here.**

**This fic is a sequel to my other fic, 'The Dove and The Smith'. Without further ado, let's get started!)**

Normally, Leo found patrol boring and uneventful. Which was a good thing, in truth. It wasn't like he _wanted_ to be attacked by monsters. That would suck.

But it was boring none the less. The nine of them took turns. Leo's turn was today. He would walk around the wooden deck of the Argo II, drumming his fingers against the railing. They were a week ahead of schedule, fortunately. The Gods had favored them, no doubt. The ocean waves soothed Leo's mind, ironically. He and Percy, somehow, got along great. They had very similar senses of humor, and common problems. Percy didn't get on to Leo for 'bad timing' with his jokes. The guy had probably been through so many battles that nothing phased him.

Jason was different. The more memories his best friend got, the more distant the two became. Jason would get on Leo's case for 'not being serious' or 'not paying attention'. Leo started avoiding Jason altogether son of fire tried to be quiet as he stepped along the planks. The shipped rocked back and forth, like a mother rocking her baby to sleep. They had taken Reyna and Alex in addition to their crew. The prophecy called for seven, but only seven to Greece, not their first stop. The plan was to find Nico in Rome, and then he, Alex, and Reyna would shadow travel back to New York. Hopefully, Nico could handle it. If not, Alex could always sun travel, as he was the son of Apollo.

So, everyone was likely asleep, or spending time with someone. Or, it wouldn't suprise Leo, sleeping together. Percy and Annabeth. Frank and Hazel. Jason and Reyna (so he secretly hoped). Alex was probably sleeping or drinking. That left Piper.

Piper. The April morning they had spent together had... well, these were difficult times. But the morning had faded into nothing but a memory. He and Piper still talked, but it was very minimal. That... fustrated had come to the conclusion that he loved Piper. As a friend, sure, but that was the foundation. Like in a house. He wanted to build a house with her. A life.

Leo sighed and banged his head against the mast. That was cornier than Twilight. But it rang true. He loved Piper as... well, more than a friend. The whole 'Suprise mofo I'm Jason and the Mist has screwed with your mind' wasn't easy for her. Hell, it wasn't easy for Leo. Leo never had a guy friend. He never had friends at all, until he met Piper at Wilderness.

It felt like a century ago, when it wasn't even a year. Leo and Piper met, and quickly formed a bond. Piper was made fun of for her Native American heritage. Leo for his odd mannerisms. They both made the other feel... wanted. Loved.

There was a time when there was a school dance. Neither Leo nor Piper wanted to go, so they stayed in their dorm. Well, Piper went to Leo's dorm. They hung out, talked, laughed, had fun. They even tried to dance, only to fail miserably. There was speculation that the two were dating (a freak for a freak, they said). Then Jason came out of nowhere. Piper had googly eyes for him, and once more, Leo was left out.

Maybe that was an overstatement. Jason definitely was Leo's friend. So was Piper. But half the time Leo did not feel welcome when the three hung out. A third wheel. They were a bike and he was a unicycle. Fitting, for a clown. Leo chuckled a little bit at the thought. He had been quiet, save for the banging of the head. However, it wasn't quiet enough.

"Laughin at your own jokes, lad?" The unmistakeable voice of Alexander O'Connor, Irish son of (Greek) Apollo. Leo snorted.

"Yeah, I must be going crazy. We must all be crazy for doing this."

"Aye. But, crazy men are hailed as heroes more often than not in our line of work. You should take a rest. I'll take up patrol," Alex offered. Leo raied an eyebrow.

"You drunk?" It wasn't uncommon for the son of the sun; he was an alcoholic if Leo had ever seen one.

Laughter quietly rippled from the other teen. "No. Not yet."

Leo smirked, amused. Alex and he also had a lot in common as well. Maybe the archer would have some advice."I need your help on something. You're an... expert on girls," Leo said, choosing his words carefully.

"Aha! Rumor spreads fast, eh? Yeah, yeah, I'm an 'expert'. I think I have it down to a science. What do you want to know?" Alex inquired. This should be interesting.

"I'm in love with a girl but everytime we get close she gets nervous. I think she's in love with another guy though. She and I have been friends-," Leo started, but the older boy cut him off.

"Christ lad I'm a drunk but I'm not blind. Let's drop the third degree. You think you really 'like' Piper. You think Piper really 'likes' Jason. Jason thinks he really 'likes' Reyna. This is just a fucking circle of madness. We're riding off into the eye of the storm, and you're all worrying about who's dating who," Alex lectured as he rubbed his forehead, before putting his hands on the railing.

Leo tried to start again, but Alex raised a hand. "I understand. Let's just say there wasn't a time long ago where I fell in love in the middle of a war. But that's a story for another time. Look. Go talk to Piper. She, uh, wants to talk to you anyways. If that doesn't work out, I still have enough beer to get both of us hammered. Now, why don't you go to the observation deck, and I take patrol, eh?" Alex offered.

Leo finally put two and two together."I owe you one," the son of Hephaestus said, moving towards the door that lead below deck.

"Aye. You all do."

* * *

Piper was sitting alone.

A perfect allegory for her life. She had been alone for some time. Her father never got to spend time with her. She still had a strong feeling her mother was interfering in her love life. Her siblings were a bunch of morons and liars. Oh, she also kissed her best friend. Ah, she also had been avoiding him since then.

Damn it. Piper's life was a royal, Olympian level, shitstorm. Even before she found out she was the daughter of Aphrodite, it had been below average. She would've sounded like a brat to most people. Her father was an actor on par with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Johnny Depp. Her life was pretty good, money wise. Little did everyone know Piper McLean committed crimes to get her fathers attention. He was never around. Ever. Always some movie. Always some award show. Always something.

So Piper would do reckless things. Charmspeaking the BMW dealer was rather tame for her. Once she stole a gun, for no other purpose than to put her face on the talboids. She also partied with other young people, drinking, smoking weed, cigarettes. Her father tried to help her, but it was never enough for Piper. She felt horribly guilty in retrospect.

Her father tried. It wasn't his fualt. He wanted Piper to have a good life; one he never got to have. Piper realized that now, after all was said and done and he was in therapy. So she drank, a little at first. It hadn't been hard to find Alex's stash. All she could find was beer, when the situation called for something much stronger.

She supposed being sent to Wilderness School wasn't so horrible. She met Leo, who through his never-ending jokes made her smile. Or his cocky, care free, grin and bear it attitude. In fact, Leo never let her down. Not once. Whenever Piper was down, Leo brought her up. Whenever she hated the world, Leo made her laugh at it instead.

Then Jason came. And Hera or Juno or whatever screwed with her head, and made Piper believe she loved Jason. It wasn't Jason's fault. Hera was just a bitch (and come what may for thinking it, Piper didn't care). All the memories with Jason were fake. But he was a good friend nonetheless. After they broke up, he came by her cabin and left her a note. It told Piper how sorry he was, that he still counted her as a friend. He just couldn't be with Piper while remembering he had something with a girl named Reyna.

And oh,_ did he _have something.

They were together now. As in, sucking each other's faces, or running their hands over each other's bodies. Piper wasn't jealous... not anymore. Jason and she were friends. Her real, non-mist memories were coming back. And the only good ones were of spending time with her father... and with Leo.

Leo. The Hothead, Repair Boy, Flaming Valdez (she really liked that one), her best friend. The only guy in her life that accepted her with open arms and lopsided grin.

But she ruined that too. She kissed him. Her best friend, the one person she could always count on. She loved him, and she was scared. Piper McLean, duaghter of Aphrodite, scared of love.

So she drank more. She was on her second beer, staring out the large, plexiglass window. The stars were bright, and the rocking of the ship made her tired. But she didn't sleep. Who knew what Gaia would have in store?

Piper heard someone clearing their throat, which made her jump nearly a foot in the air. The beer spilled over her white t-shirt. She angrily spun around, and voiced her question "What the Hell!"

Alex grinned, a beer in his own hand. "My apologies lass. I just don't take kindly to people taking my liquor. That's a heavy crime in Ireland," he said, leaning on the doorframe.

Piper sighed. "I need a new shirt now. I hope you're happy."

"Estatic."

"Move," the charmspeaker commanded, walking to the door. The archer stepped out of the way, and she strolled towards her room. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Any reason you're drinking?" Alex asked.

"I drink. I smoke. What does it matter?" she asked, opening the door.

Alex followed."We both know it isn't as simple as that. As I recall, you didn't look too sure about bodyshota. What was that? A... year ago or so?" he asked, smirking.

Piper had a new shirt in her hand, but spun around, eyes wide. "What... you were there?" she asked.

Alex nodded, sipping from his beer. "You think you can have that big of a party and not invite Alexander O'Connor? Come on."

Piper stepped behind a viewing block to dress herself, first stripping her shirt. She shouldn't had been suprised, Alex was a celebrity. In fact, half of her mortal friends claimed they'd slept with him. That party was before Wilderness, when she was just another duaghter of a celebrity. Piper herself was planning to sleep with Alex... another scream to her father to pay attention.

"And your flirtatious behavior? You may have been the most stunning girl there, but I know a demi-goddess when I see one. You have a strong will, much to strong to be like the common sluts I find. So, are you going to tell me why?" he asked.

As the young demi-goddess unclapsed her bra and threw it into the corner, she pondered. She could tell Alex. She could tell him to leave. She could sleep with him now and further push everyone away.

"Piper. I want to help you."

"Who said I needed your help? Maybe I want to be left alone," she said, closing her eyes.

"You don't want to be alone. No one does. You're just afraid," Alex said.

Piper stepped into full view of Alex, topless and all. "I'm a timebomb. I hurt everyone, Alex. I need help, but you can't help me," Piper hissed angrily, tears in her eyes.

Alex nearly choked on his drink when she emerged. He put the beer on her dresser, and stared her directly in the eye. "You never hurt Leo. How would you know if you won't talk to him?" he asked.

Piper sighed and turned away, the tears threatening to spill over. "I love him. I can't remember a time when I didn't... He's always been there."

Alex nodded. "So, tell him. Why is this so hard?"

Piper sighed and found a new bra to wear, putting it on. "Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll hurt him again, or not be there for him. I'm afraid of loving him because when I do, I wind up hurting him."

Alex sighed and drank a little more. "My God... Piper, you aren't going to hurt him if you love him. If you love him, tell him. Make him see. Because he loves you, and he wants to be with you. Stop living in fear, because that's the way to die. Live in love, and love life," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You really think that'll work?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

For a second she saw a thousand things, but one stuck out; pain. It was all gone in an instant. "Of course."

She nodded and chose a new shirt. A silence fell between them, and Alex moved towards the door.

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"What... was her name?"

A heavy silence. She heard him pour the whole beer down his throat before he answered. "Joan. Anyway, I'll tell Leo to meet you in the viewing room."

She was about to thank him, but when she truned to face him, he was gone.

* * *

Leo was nervous. Damn it, why was he nervous? It was easy; go in, talk to Piper, have some chit-chat, tell her how much he loved her, bid her good night, and go to sleep. Simple.

Alex was right. It was like a science.

Leo finally opened the door to the viewing deck. He found the brunette staring out the window, kaleidoscope eyes deep in thought. A few empty beer bottles were stacked on a table.

"Hey," she said softly, turning to face him. Her eyes were a little bloodshot, hair unkempt, shirt wrinkled, and bags under her eyes.

Still gorgeous.

"Looks you had a party in here," Leo joked, sitting down in a chair.

Piper laughed. "Yeah, maybe my last one."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Why is that Beauty Queen? Nobody come this time?"

"Ha! Nobody would have even if I invited them," the daughter of love said, sitting next to him.

"I would have."

"You've never drank in your life."

"You'd be suprised."

"When?"

The smith laughed. "With some friends, back in an old foster home."

Piper look at him incredously. "Leo Valdez, partier? I would have never guessed."

"Yeah, well, maybe after all this is done... we could host a party? Gods knows we need to relax."

"Sure, if we survive."

"Okay then, Positive Piper."

The Cherokee snorted. "A new nickname? Did 'Beauty Queen' get old?"

Leo smirked. "No. I just figured saying it makes me Captain Obvious."

An akward silence followed. Leo mumbled something.

"What?" Piper asked, that feeling of dread in her stomach.

"Sorry," Leo said, gruffly.

"Don't be. I... should be sorry. I've treated you... like shit, lately," Piper said, closing her eyes.

"Piper, you-"

"No! No I need to say something. I've needed to clear my head. From the Mist, the quest, my dad, everything. I needed time to think. Jason and Annabeth have been busy planning, and I'm not that close to anyone else at camp. Except for you. You listen to me, Leo. Even when I'm a bitch, or ignore you. You're always there. I... I love you Leo. If this the last time we have to relax, I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else," Piper said, heart racing. Was he going to tell her off, leave? Was h-

She was interrupted by a hand gently caressing her cheek, turning her towards Leo. She opened her eyes, to find him smiling. "Piper, I love you too. There isn't anyone else I want to be with right now," he said, brown eyes warm and gentle.

Then, he kissed her.

And she kissed him back.

**(So that was fun! I hoped you liked it!)**


End file.
